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    Chapter 0673


    "Don''t worry, it gets easier," she whispered, her voiceced with a hint of condescension. "Though it''s clear you haven''t been exercising much."


    I stiffened, thement stinging more than I cared to admit. Little did she know the sort of physical peak my body hade into when my wolf had emerged buttely, with my pregnancy symptoms being so all over the ce, I hadn''t been able to do much at all.


    "Well, I''ve had a lot of negative symptoms," I said, trying to brush it off. "Haven''t been able to do much."


    Leaughed lightly, a sound that grated on my already frayed nerves. "I can see that," she said, eyeing my body up and down. “A little bby, aren''t we?"


    Her words felt like a p across the face. I tried to keep myposure, focusing on Hannah''s instructions, but Lea''s words echoed in my head, amplifying the insecurities that had been brewing inside of me for a while now.novelbin


    As the ss progressed, Lea''s remarks didn''t cease. "You really should try to keep up, Nina. It''s important for the baby, you know."


    I nodded, my throat tight with unshed tears. I had always been confident in my body, but her words cut deep, reminding me of every doubt Thad ever had about myself.


    During a particrly challenging pose, I stumbled, my bnce faltering. Lea let out a titter, not bothering to hide her amusement. "It''s okay, not everyone''s cut out for this. Maybe you should start with something easier."


    I felt the eyes of the other nearby women on me, their gazes pitying or indifferent. The warm, weing atmosphere of the ss had turned suffocating


    My cheeks burned with embarrassment and frustration, my body feeling more foreign to me than ever.


    I couldn''t take it anymore. With a mumbled excuse, I rolled up my mat and hurried out of the ss, not looking back. The cool air of the fresh breeze once I stepped out of the studio was a small relief, but it did little to soothe the way I felt.


    As I walked to my car, I fought back tears, feeling defeated and small.


    Lea''s words reyed in my mind, each one a sharp jab at my self-esteem. I hade to the ss seeking some peace and strength and to help care for my body throughout the pregnancy, but I just left feeling, more vulnerable than ever.


    Sitting in the driver''s seat, I took a few deep breaths, trying topose myself. Thest thing I wanted was to go home and exin to Enzo why I left the ss early. I dreaded the thought of admitting how deeply Lea''s words had affected me. "You should have said something," my wolf said, agitated. "Why did you just... sit there and take it? That''s not like you." I swallowed as I put the car into gear. "I just couldn''t," I muttered under my breath. "I can''t... I can''t describe it." My wolf fell silent, but I could feel her annoyance. Hell, I was annoyed, too. I knew it wasn''t like me to not stand up for myself. Was it the pregnancy hormones, or something else?


    A little whileter, I was relieved to see the housee into view. I let out a breath I didn''t know I had been holding as I pulled into the driveway. And as I stepped into the house, I was greeted by the familiarfort of home. The air smelled aromatic; Enzo must have been cooking something.


    I found him in the living room, and he looked up as I entered, a smile on his face that made my resolve shatter.


    "Hey, how was the ss?" he asked.


    And almost instantly, I burst into tears.